The present invention relates to a load adjustment device having a throttle valve (9) which determines the output power of an internal combustion engine and is connected, fixed for rotation, with a throttle-valve shaft (33) which is mounted in a throttle-valve housing (40), the throttle-valve shaft (33) having a mechanical linkage on the accelerator-pedal side, the shaft having a setting-motor linkage side associated with setting motor means for displacing the throttle-valve (9) in idle operation.
In such a load adjustment device, the displacement of the throttle valve into the emergency idle position is customarily effected via a spring which, for this purpose, displaces the throttle valve via a setting-element part, the displacement of the throttle valve into an open position being effected by means of a motor. In normal idling operation, a control device controls an electric motor so that the throttle valve is displaced into the desired position on the basis of values processed by the control device. If the throttle valve is in the idling range between the emergency idling position and the minimum idling position, then the electric motor operates continuously against the setting force of a spring which must be so designed that in an emergency idling situation the setting force of the spring is sufficient to overcome all frictional resistance as well as opposing moments on the throttle valve and the electric motor in order to bring them into an emergency idling position. This state of load is decisive for the dimensioning of the spring. Furthermore, an electric motor takes up substantially more installation space so that this leads to an increase in the cost of the plant.